My morning, as a sitcom ("Greenenders", with thanks to Pete)

[jack]

Some people have lives told in Shakespearean style. Bleak house. Austen. Saki. Anything. I have sitcom. Oh well :)

This will be represented as a rapid sequence of scene cuts, as I move from one bike shop to the other. Some humour will be evinced in repetition, some in breaking the repetition.

** 'blinds' transition **
Me: I see you have a selection. What's the difference between this £100 bike, and this £130 bike?
Him: *gormless look* It costs more. It has a, uuuhh, *looks at bike* better frame. And different coloured gears.
** 'blinds' transition **
Me: So, do you have any bikes less tall than I am for under £230 pounds?
Him: No.
** 'blinds' transition **
Me: I'm looking for a town bike?
Him: *shocked look*
** 'blinds' transition **
Me: I'm looking for a bike?
Him: I'm sorry sir, this is a hardware store.
** 'blinds' transition **
Me: Two all-beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun.
Him: I'm sorry sir, this is subway.
** series of shots of me muching through a sandwich looking tired **
** 'blinds' transition **
Me: I'm looking for a town bike?
** long pan down ten meter long row of off-road bikes costing £300 **
** 'blinds' transition **
Me: I'm looking for a town bike?
Him: Why are you late for work?
Me: Well, I was *going* to ride in...

*sigh* And all those 0.14s transitions took me half an hour of walking. At least I had a book and a plot to write. But I'm 5'10 or 5'11, I'm not *that* short.

I thought it might be as easy as last time. Where else should I go?

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Go out as a woman and you will be guaranteed to find bicycles that are too short for you and useless off-road.

[naath.livejournal.com]

The place on King's parade has some very expensive bikes that are shiny. Halfords usually has good, reasonably priced bikes.

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

Heh. As an ex-cyclist, I can relate to all this. Last time I bought a bike, I had to get a second-hand one because the shops wouldn't sell me anything other than a mountain bike, which is no earthly use for long-distance riding on roads. I am wondering exactly how long it will take the general population to work this out; in the meantime I can no longer ride a regular bike anyway because of my wrists, but I've been told I may be OK with a recumbent.

I suggest you advertise for a second-hand one. Good luck!

[despotliz.livejournal.com]

My bike is from Halfords. It cost me £60 and so far it has failed to fall apart although I did have an exciting failure of my front brakes on Drummer Street.

If you wait a week or so they'll probably have some cheap bikes to try and entice new students. The bike shop down Botolph Lane also had some slightly nicer and still cheap bikes when I looked last year, and they've been very good when I've been in for repairs.

[ceb.livejournal.com]

University Cycles by Mitchams Corner; I wanted exactly what you want (except that I hadn't ridden in years and was very nervous about it) and he had a choice of suitable ones including several very good 2nd hand, and let me borrow several to try (and insisted on me trying the one I eventually got for a week before paying for it). (Mine was L140 IIRC and I like it lots.)

[atreic.livejournal.com]

I bought my Giant town bike from Mikes Bikes, on Mill Road. He did me a deal where I got lights, panniers, and a D lock, and the bike, for about 200.

Chris's bikes in Girton is where I always get said bike fixed, and he sells bikes and is really nice and helpful. Bit of a way out though (just before Girton college, on Thornton Road)!

[minipoppy.livejournal.com]

Well if you consider buying something from Townsends or H Drakes I've got a thing to get 5% off new bikes if it is of any help. Or up to 20% off servicing/labour if you decide to stick with the old one. It came with my job - discounts on bikes - because my employers are trying to promote alternative transport to work. It's pretty much the only perk I get (other than the ability to do science experiments at will) and I've never been able to use it because I'm still using the same bike I got for my twelfth birthday (I *still* haven't grown into it) and it's great!